• NEWS OF THE 10th MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY • Wednesday March 23d, 1864 • • Willseys Diary: It commenced snowing last evening at dark & this morning we found it 8 inches deep, more snow fell this time than all the other times put together during the winter. It has been very warm all day long. Have done little or nothing in work. The team has been out after two loads of wood for us. Here that the grand review will come off tomorrow. Gen. Grant, Halleck & a host of Indian Chiefs are to be in attendance. • Newell: The snow was six inches deep this morning, but is melting rapidly. • Roe: The 23d revealed quite six inches of snow which speedily disappeared under the suns rays. • From the Springfield Daily Union: · GEN. HOOKER AND THE CAVALRY.- An anecdote of Gen. Hooker has come to my knowledge, which I have never seen in print. Soon after he assumed command of the Army of the Potomac, he summoned to headquarters all the principal officers in his command, twenty-five or thirty in number. Arranged in a semi-circle facing him, he addressed them after this manner, very coolly and with low voice at first, but warming as he proceeded: “GENTLEMEN- I have called you together to consult with you in regard to the cavalry arm of the service. I think it should be, and may be, made more efficient. It seems to me to be at present a very costly show- very expensive and very useless. Why, gentlemen,” moving up and taking a step forward, “I’ll be d-----d if I have ever seen or have ever heard of a dead cavalry man!” From that speech dates the efficiency of the Federal cavalry. – Washington Correspondent Chicago Journal. · “DIDN’T SEE IT”- In Kilpatrick’s last “On to Richmond,” was a soldier boy, by the name of Edwin A. Porter, whose mother lives in Wells, Vt. In one of the skirmishes he rode up fearlessly to a squad of rebels. The officer demanded of him to surrender. He replied coolly “don’t see it.” And suiting his actions to his words, he instantly drew his sabre with which he cleft the head of the officer, at the same instant wheeling his horse to join his companions, the rebels firing a volley at him, at which shower the lad carried off in his person four bullets, joining his company G. He kept his saddle for more than an hour, and is now doing well. · Sergeant George Green, recruiting in this city for the 57th regiment, has been promoted to a 2d lieutenancy in that regiment. · Three men go to camp to-day from this city. Plucky fellows! · The President spoke at the Sanitary Fair in Washington a few nights ago, and among other thing offered the following: “This war falls heavily upon all classes of the people, but the most so upon the soldiers. ‘All that a man hath will he give for his life,’ and though all have contributed of their substance, yet the soldier perils and often yields up his life for his country’s cause.” · A soldier writes that the most useful article that can be sent men in the field is a bunch of woolen yarn and a darning needle to mend their socks. · NEW YORK, March 23. The Herald’s West Virginia special:- rumor says a portion of Stuart’s cavalry is moving in the Shenandoah Valley. Our scouts go out daily a short distance above Strausburg. Report says there is an unusually large gathering of rebel forces at Staunton. · NEW YORK, March 23. The Herald’s Army of the Potomac dispatch of the 22d reports the capture of thirteen of Mosby’s guerillas. A strong band of rebel is prowling around Fauquier county. A heavy fall of snow commenced this afternoon. · NEW YORK, March 23. The name of the Invalid Corps, is, by order of the war department, changed to that of Veteran Reserve Corps, which sounds more pleasantly to the officers and the command. · NEW YORK, March 23. The World’s special states that preparations for the projected expeditions of General Burnside and Hancock will be directed to cease by General Grant, and both commands be placed in condition for active co-operation with the army of the Potomac. Hancock has already returned to his command. · NEW YORK, March 23. The World’s special says that all demonstrations on the part of the rebel cavalry have ceased. It is known that conscripts have been hurried to Gen. Lee’s army from different parts of the south. · NEW YORK, March 23. The World has a letter from Huntsville, Ala., 15th, which states that General Smith, who commanded the recent cavalry raid in Mississippi, says he has obtained positive and reliable information that Vice President Stephens of the rebel confederacy is hostile to the present policy of the confederates, and has written to Richmond that he will not resume the Presidency of the Senate until the recently adopted conscription law is repealed. He regards its passage as a violation of the plighted faith of the confederacy. · WASHINGTON, March 23. Lieut. Gen. Grant, his staff and family, arrived here at seven o’clock this morning, from Philadelphia, on a special train. · BOSTON, March 23. Mary J. Johnson and Annie E. Jones, alleged spies for the rebels, sent north from the old capitol prison at Washington, arrived here yesterday, and were transferred to the Fitchburg House of Correction for present safe-keeping. · DIED: § In Harper’s Ferry, Va., 7th inst., Harvey E. Truesdell of West Brookfield, a member of the 34th regiment, aged 31 years. § In Martinsburg, Va., 10th inst., Edwin A. Barr of Ware, a member of the 34th regiment, aged 17. · NEW YORK, March 22. The Commercial’s Washington special says Gen. Hancock is summoned before the War Committee to-day, to testify as to the management of the Army of the Potomac. // Indications now are that Gen. Meade will be temporarily retained in command. The army is to divided into three divisions, under Sedgwick, Hancock and Warren. Gen. Grant will also have two corps under Burnside and Sigel. · From The Springfield Republican: ○ [The Lesson of the War; long piece, page 1] ○ [ Letter of Butler is response to a school-teacher, page 1] ○ Gossip says Mrs Lincoln wants Gen Sickles to succeed Gen Meade. ○ The returned negro colonists from Avache have been sent to the contraband colony at Arlington, Va. Mr. Gibbs has made application for permission to send the two-hundred able-bodied returned colonists to Massachusetts (for volunteers) in accordance with their desires. ○ [page 4: Gen James Barnes at the Battle of Gettysburg, Historicus and Barnes’ reply] ○ The Senate in executive session, Tuesday, returned the nomination of Gen William F. (Baldy) Smith as a major general to the president, on the ground that it was unfair to existing major generals, including Gen Meade, whom he could thus outrank, to date back his commission to July 4, 1862. No opposition was made to the nomination being returned. ○ Frank Blair of Missouri will soon re-enter the military service. He will probably be re-commissioned as a major general as soon as a vacancy arises, and will be assigned to a command in Gen Sherman’s corps. ○ Massachusetts Troops. The 24th and 25th Massachusetts regiments, which have been at home on furlough, started southward on Tuesday, the latter destined to Gen Butler’s department. // Among the recent deaths in the Washington hospitals are: L.H. Stiles of Greenfield, company G, 9th regiment, at Carver hospital, Feb. 27; Parker Morse of Millbury, company E, 2d cavalry regiment, at Mt. Pleasant hospital. // The 4th Massachusetts cavalry will embark for Hilton Head, S.C., to-day. ○ Gen Grant will review the army of the Potomac on Thursday, the president, Gen Halleck and Secretary Stanton being present. It is supposed it will take Gen Grant a fortnight to reorganize the army of the Potomac and mobilize it. // Gen Grant has directed that recruiting for cavalry regiments shall cease. It is understood that an order will shortly be issued to mount infantry to supply the deficiency of cavalry in the army, he considering that branch of the service to be more efficient than cavalry organizations. // Indications now are that Gen Meade will be temporarily retained in command. The army is to be divided into three divisions, under Sedgwick, Hancock and Warren. Gen Grant will also have two corps under Burnside and Sigel. // An extract from a rebel paper sent to Washington by Gen Meade contains full details of the proposed organization of the army. They assume to be very knowing as to what changes are to be made. Gen Meade is anxious to know in what manner the rebels obtain information concerning prospective military events in advance of that received at headquarters. // It is said that General Lee is receiving large accessions to his army, particularly to the cavalry force, which is being supplied with fresh horses. He is evidently preparing for a vigorous spring campaign. ○ A refugee from Richmond reports that the defenses of the city are very extensive and elaborate. They are in the form of a semi-circle, the outer embankment being continuous, almost without a break, around the city. Inside of this, another line of entrenchments extends around the city, with frequent breaks. Between the two is a fine military road, so that it is easy to reinforce any part of the defenses at short notice. These fortifications are heavily armed with the best of artillery. What seems strange to us, at this distance, is that these extensive fortifications are not manned by any considerable force, but the citizens are formed into companies, ready at the tap of the drum to proceed to the intrenchments to resist invasion. A large picket force is stationed outside the lines, and it is expected if any attacking force approaches, that the alarm can be given in season for every man to be at his post. There is no considerable force of regular military in the capital, but Gen Pickett’s division is within about thirty miles, and can reinforce the home militia at short notice. ○ THE PRESIDENT’S ESTIMATE OF OUR WOMEN.- In a little speech coaxed out of President Lincoln, at the Washington sanitary fair, he praised the women of America in his peculiar way, but about as earnestly and strongly as words could do it. He said:- “In this extraordinary war extraordinary developments have manifested themselves, such as have not been seen in former wars, and among those manifestations nothing has been more remarkable than these fairs for the relief of suffering soldiers and their families. And the chief agents in these fairs are the women of America. (Cheers.) I am not accustomed to the use of language of eulogy; I have never studied the art of paying compliments to women, but I must say, that if all that has been said by orators and poets since the creation of the world in praise of women were applied to the women of America, it would not do them justice for their conduct during this war. I will close by saying God bless the women of America! (Great applause.) ○ READING FOR THE SOLDIERS.- To the Editor of The Republican:- Since the war began I have sent more than two bushels- charcoal measure- of books and pamphlets to the army hospitals. I have also been accustomed to send the Weekly Republican, and other papers, to individuals. These little attentions seem to be highly appreciated by those who receive them, and I know of no way of spending a mere trifle every week to better purpose. The Congregationalist can now be obtained in single numbers at Jennings’, and adds nothing to the expense of postage, when inclosed with the Republican in the same wrapper. The Congregationalist does not need commendation, as being a readable paper. If it did, you have bestowed it. Will not those who should write letters to our soldiers, but do not, at least “send them the papers?” Jones can save the money out of his cigars, and be the richer for it. X. • • From RHODES: History of the Civil War, p. 304. ○ Grant returns to Washington. • From Woodbury (Second RI.): The lieutenant-general on his arrival gave the army a thorough inspection. He found it in excellent condition, but decided to make a partial reorganization. Three corps were formed: the Second, under Hancock, the Fifth, under Warren, and the Sixth, under Sedgwick. The First Corps was merged in the Fifth, two divisions of the Third were transferred to the Second, and the remaining division to the Sixth. The 3rd division of the Sixth was broken up- Wheatons and Eustiss brigades being assigned to the 2nd division, and to the 1st, Shalers brigade. The corps was now organized as follows: 1st division, Brigadier-General H.G. Wright; 1st brigade, Colonel W.H. Penrose; 2nd brigade, Colonel E. Upton; 3d brigade, Brigadier-General D.A. Russell; 4th brigade, Brigadier-General A. Shaler; 2d division, Brigadier-General George W. Getty; 1st brigade, Brigadier-General Frank Wheaton; 2d brigade, Colonel L.A. Grant; 3d brigade, Brigadier-General T.H. Neill; 4th brigade, Brigadier-General L.A. Eustis; 3rd division, Brigadier-General James B. Ricketts, 1st brigade, Brigadier-General W.H. Morris; 2d brigade, Brigadier-General Truman Seymour; 3d brigade, Colonel Keiffer. The great struggle was fast approaching, and the army was put in the best state possible to engage in it. In the regiment every preparation was made for the oncoming campaigns. Lieutenant-Colonel Read was active in drilling and disciplining his command. The absentees, except those serving on staff and special duty, were all back in camp by the middle of April, Captain Shaw bringing in a body of recruits. The chaplain delivered stirring and patriotic addresses to the Regiment. The company officers were diligent in the performance of their duties. There was about six weeks service for the original members of the Second. But, as the beginning of their term of duty was signalized by the severe and bloody engagement at Bull Run, its end was distinguished by the sanguinary battles of the Wilderness and Spottsylvania. ends at page 232 • BOWEN (37th Mass.) pg. 266: During the latter part of March, 1864, the Army of the Potomac was largely reorganized, the five corps being consolidated to three, — the Second, commanded by General Winfield S. Hancock; the Fifth, under General Gouverneur K. Warren; and the Sixth, General John Sedgwick — the latter the senior corps commander. The old Second Corps had been consolidated into two divisions of four and three brigades respectively}, the First commanded by General Francis C. Barlow and the Second by General John Gibbon. The 35 regiments of the Third Corps were consolidated into four brigades, two each of which formed the Third Division of the new Second Corps, commanded by General David B. Birney, and the Fourth Division, General Gershom Mott. The old Fifth Corps was likewise reduced to two divisions of the new, — the First of three brigades under General Charles Griffin and the Third (Pennsylvania Reserves) of two brigades under General Samuel W Crawford. The Second and Fourth Divisions of three brigades each were made up of the old First Corps and commanded respectively by Generals John C. Robinson and James S. Wadsworth. The old Sixth Corps was likewise consolidated to two divisions, the Third being broken up. Wheatons brigade was made the First of the Second Division and Eustiss became the Fourth, while Shalers was known as the Fourth Brigade of the First Division. The corps organization was thus modified as follows: First Division, General Horatio G. Wright, composed of the brigades of Colonel Henry W Brown (New Jersey Brigade), Colonel Emory Upton, General David A. Russell and General Alexander Shaler; the Second Division, General George W Getty, had the brigades of General Frank Wheaton, Colonel Lewis A. Grant (Vermont Brigade), General Thomas H. Neill and General Henry L. Eustis. The new Third Division was made up of the troops which had been attached to the First Corps as a provisional division directly after the battle of Gettysburg, being at that time commanded by General H. S. Briggs, now placed under General James B. Ricketts, the two brigades being commanded by General William H. Morris and Colonel Benjamin F. Smith — the latter being relieved May 5, by General Truman Seymour. The artillery of the corps consisted of nine batteries under Colonel Charles H. Tompkins. General Kilpatrick having been relieved from the command of the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac, that important arm of the service was placed under the command of General Philip H. Sheridan, who had commanded an infantry division in the Army of the Cumberland with signal ability. The three divisions of the corps were made up as follows: First, General A. T. A. Torbert, composed of the brigades of General George A. Custer, Colonel Thomas C. Devin, and General Wesley Merritt; the Second Division, General David M. Gregg, had the brigades of General Henry E. Davies, Jr., and Colonel J. Irving Gregg; the Third Division, General James B. Wilson, had also two brigades under Colonel T. M. Bryan, Jr., and Colonel George H. Chapman. The transfer of Eustiss Brigade to the Second Division was made March 24, and the men exchanged for the white the blue crosses which they had worn since the adoption of the corps badge system. The brigade was now one of the smallest in the army, the consolidation making many brigades consist of from eight to ten regiments. In fact the tendency everywhere was to consolidation and concentration, to such a degree that from this time onward the general reader must lose sight of all the minor organizations. Troops were moved in the campaigns which followed by corps and divisions, brigades were rarely spoken of, regiments passed out of consideration in the magnitude of the struggles between what were henceforth to be the principal contesting armies of the government and its would-be destroyers. Through this maze we must follow the Thirty-seventh as it goes forth to win its greatest renown and prove its quality as a fighting regiment. Up to this time it had scarcely felt the supreme shock of battle. Placed often where its discipline and firmness were well tested, and never with other than the highest credit to itself, it had still in a remarkable degree escaped the horrible decimation which was henceforth so often to tear its serried ranks into mere bleeding fragments. It was not to be expected that the future should bring to the regiment as an organization the good fortune which had thus far attended it, and this feeling was voiced by many a thoughtful man, whether wearing a sword or bearing the musket. There was the general feeling that Grant would strike no uncertain blow, and past experience in conflict with the Army of Northern Virginia gave the best possible assurance that the foe would give back blow for blow to the last desperate extremity. Ends at page 269. • From v1.1.4 / chapter 63 of 93 / 01 aug 13 / greg goebel / public domain He was back in Washington on 23 March and went out to the field to take charge. Grant quickly learned that if the Army of the Potomac had an unfortunate tradition of losing, it wasnt for any lack of spirit or skill on the part of the soldiers. He wrote Halleck: The Army of the Potomac is in splendid condition and evidently feels like whipping somebody; I feel much better with this command than I did before seeing it. Grant still had concerns. The soldiers had learned little respect for any general, except one: Robert E. Lee. He had beaten them so many times, run circles around Union generals, that the Army of the Potomac regarded him as superhuman. That attitude frustrated Grant to no end. He had got where he was by refusing to be intimidated by any of his opponents, and he wasnt about to be intimidated by Robert E. Lee either. Grant wanted nothing more than to show the men that Lee was no demigod: he was a man like the rest, and he could be defeated. As far as the Army of the Potomac went, the soldiers were no longer easily impressed, and Grant did little to try to impress them, riding by so fast that few could even get a good look at him while his staff labored to keep up. The troops knew that Grant was from the West and had never fought against a real general like Robert E. Lee. Nobody wanted Napoleons or expected miracles any more, anyway. General John Sedgwick recorded that Grant gave an impression of good common sense, though Sedgwick also expressed doubts that anyone could get things on track, saying the truth is that we are on the wrong road to take Richmond. ► Humphreys, The Campaign in Virginia 1864 to 1865, p. 3: On March 4th General Meade recommended to the Secretary of War to consolidate the five infantry corps of the Army of the Potomac and form three corps of them. This consolidation was effected by orders from the War Department dated March 23d, the Second, Fifth and Sixth Corps being retained, and the divisions of the First and Third Corps transferred to the three retained corps, though preserving their corps and division badges and distinctive marks. This re-organization required brigades and divisions in all the five corps to be consolidated. The reason given for this reorganization was the reduced strength of nearly all the infantry regiments composing the army; but it caused some dissatisfaction with both officers and enlisted men, owing to the spirit of rivalry between the several corps, and the brigades of a division. The history and associations of these organizations were different, and when they were merged in other organizations their identity was lost and their pride and esprit de corps wounded. ► From Porter, Campaigning With Grant: General Grant returned to the capital on March 23. I went to Willards to call upon him that evening, and encountered him on the stairs leading up to the first floor. He stopped, shook hands, and greeted me with the words, How do you do, colonel ? I replied : I had hoped to be colonel by this time, owing to your hitherposition, but what I feared has been realized. Much against my wishes, the Secretary of War seems to have made up his mind to keep me here. I will see him to-morrow, and urge the matter in person, answered the general. He then invited me to accompany Win to his room, and in the course of a conversation which followed said that he had had Sheridan ordered East to take command of the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac. ► BACHE, Life of Mead p. 401: Going back immediately thereafter to the West for final understanding with General Sherman as to plans of campaign, he returned to Washington on the 23d of March, whence he went almost at once to the field at Culpeper, and there established his headquarters. It is therefore in place here to mention incidentally, that he had expressly stated that, as being in command of all the armies in the field, his proper place was in Washington. Although, it is true, his presence on the hither side of the Rapidan made no essential difference at first, yet, when he thence entered upon and continued to direct on the ground the campaign from the Rapidan to Petersburg, destined to last a year, his departure from the line of conduct which he had laid down as the duty of the commanding-general of all the armies to follow was absolute, and led, especially in the Valley of Virginia, to the very consequences which his originally announced intention had been intended to preclude. There were other consequences that followed this reversal of intention on the part of Grant. But for his immediate presence, the army would have emerged from the conflict, from the battle of the Wilderness to that of Cold Harbor, in far greater strength than was possible under his tactics, in which, had he been the mighty Thor himself, his weapon would have shattered on the steel of the opposing front of war. He persisted too long in the continuous attrition and hammering which he declared in advance to be his system of encountering the Army of Northern Virginia. Still another consequence of his determination to have his headquarters with the Army of the Potomac lay in a divided command, lessening the value of administration represented by a single centre of authority which, in all activities, is the condition of the highest degree of efficiency. It led also, on account of Grants tendency to favoritism, to detriment to the service, through that propensity which, willingly or unwillingly, allows well- or ill-placed affections to be enslaved. The same consequences, it might be urged, the tendency being conceded, would have manifested themselves, had he established his headquarters in Washington. This is undeniable, but it should be remembered that the field, the immediate scene of critical events, introduces dangers from such indulgence far exceeding those possible to incur in cabinet direction of affairs ; and in this case, as will in due time appear, they did not fail to manifest themselves as working injury to the military service, and therefore to the cause which it sustained. ► From the Richmond Whig, 3/23/1864, p. 2, c. 6 PRISONERS AT RICHMOND. - There now remains in Richmond but eighteen hundred Yankee prisoners, the twelve thousand who were recently here having been mostly sent South or exchanged. Of those now here, it is not proposed to send any more South, it being hoped that we will soon get rid of them by exchange. It is to be wished that Government will never again collect a multitude of prisoners in and about this city, as it provokes raids on the capital, and it is much more expensive to feed them here than in Georgia or Western North Carolina.
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